2014 Season Opening! Under the guidance of Coach Massimo, a new Tokyo emerges

The long-awaited J-League 2014 season has begun. In the first match, we will face Kashiwa Reysol away. This season, which welcomes new coach Massimo FICCADENTI, will start on January 18th. We have been preparing for about 40 days, aiming to play beautiful and attacking football. And today, we finally reveal our new form.

Coach Massimo said, "It is necessary to assess the situation and condition of the game throughout the 90 minutes, and continue to fight with attentiveness, as well as how much we can do what we have been working on and what the team should do. We will also approach the game with the strength of the team's organizational power that we have cultivated."

Kashiwa, on the other hand, finished 10th in the league last season but won the Nabisco Cup. It can be said that they are a "winning" team that has consistently won titles every season since winning the J1 championship in 2011. Under coach NELSINHO, who is in his sixth year, they are further maturing. In particular, their attacking lineup, led by MF Leandro Domingues, is versatile with the addition of FW Leandro, who joined this season, and FW Kudo, who has also been selected for the Japanese national team, posing a significant threat.

However, MoriShige says, "I don't think everything will go well right away, but I do feel that if we can improve the completeness of Massimo's style, we will definitely become stronger." Can they calmly assess the situation and execute countermeasures while improving the completeness of their own style? We hope for a victory that demonstrates the team's unity of purpose.

The game started at 3:03 PM in Tokyo with light rain and cold weather.

Displaying each other's uniqueness, in a tense offensive and defensive battle

From the start, both teams quickly attacked each other, resulting in intense exchanges of offense and defense. Tokyo maintained their strength in the midfield and quick transitions, putting pressure on the Kashiwa goal through Muto's ball control and the boldness of Mita and Edu. In the 1st minute, Muto on the left side passed to Edu in the penalty area, and Mita took a first shot from outside the left area. In the 8th minute, Muto pressed the opponent's defender on the front line, stole the ball, and aimed for a goal.

Tokyo responded well to Kashiwa's long ball-centered attack, but gradually began to face sharp counterattacks. In the 10th minute, Tokyo's cross was blocked and quickly carried to the front line, where a through pass was sent behind the defense by MF Leandro Domingues. However, Kaga was able to handle it and prevent it from reaching FW Leandro. Tokyo also capitalized on set-piece opportunities, and in the 29th minute, Morishige headed the left corner kick from the east, but it was saved by the goalkeeper.

Tokyo continued to attack with a sense of dynamism, but their precision and coordination in front of the goal were still lacking. As a result, they were unable to create shooting opportunities towards the end. On the other hand, Kashiwa regained their composure and launched a well-balanced attack, leading to a tense battle between the two teams. In the 37th minute, Kashiwa's through pass was neatly received by FW Leandro, who created a decisive opportunity for FW Kudo, but the shot went wide. In the 43rd minute, Kashiwa's left full-back Hashimoto made a cross from a speedy passing sequence. However, Gonda touched the ball and deflected it. Tokyo managed to hold on without losing focus and ended the first half with a scoreless draw.

Take the lead with Mita's first goal of the season! Concede one goal but secure 1 point

In the second half, Tokyo pressed from the beginning and launched a fierce attack. In the 46th minute, Morishige → Ota on the left side crossed to Edu in the center of the area. Edu dropped the ball with his chest to the left area, and Mita jumped out here. The first shot was blocked by the goalkeeper's extended hand, but the ball that the Kashiwa defender tried to clear hit the goalkeeper again and spilled. Mita persistently pushed it in again and scored a goal! Mita scored his first goal of the season and took the lead.

In the 51st minute, Higashi created an opportunity on the right side and Tanaka broke through on the right side, replacing Watanabe. He sent a negative pass from the sideline into the area. Muto, who was free, made the shot but... it went wide to the right. In the 54th minute, from a left corner kick, Morishige and Watanabe launched a wave-like attack, but they couldn't break through the determined defense of Kashiwa and cross the line no matter what...

When they missed a chance to score, Kashiwa changed to a 3-back formation using a player substitution in the 60th minute. They added depth to their attack and prepared for a counterattack. In the 63rd minute, Kashiwa midfielder Leandro Domingues played a vertical pass, which was received by forward Leandro who had made a run into the penalty area. Forward Kudo on the right side then took a powerful shot. The ball grazed the hand of goalkeeper Kanda and rolled into the far side of the net... Kashiwa couldn't keep up with their quick passing and fluid attacking movements, resulting in conceding a goal.

In the 71st minute, Ishikawa was substituted for Muto. The formation changed to a 4-4-2 with Edu and Watanabe as the front two, and Ishikawa and Mita on the sides. Both teams continued to push for a goal and launched quick attacks. Amidst creating chances, in the 83rd minute, Higashi initiated a counterattack and made a decisive pass to Watanabe in front of the goal from the right area. However, their timing was slightly off...

In the final stages, Kashiwa was subjected to a fierce attack from the home team in their determination to win, but they did not allow the second goal. The intense battle ended in a draw, which can be seen as a fair result for both teams. However, it can be said that Kashiwa maintained their commitment to winning and secured a valuable 1 point away from home.

[Player Comments]
《Mita》"I think I was able to demonstrate what I have been working on both in attack and defense. As for the goal, I actually wanted to score with the first shot. I thought it went in! But the ball didn't slide as much as I expected and didn't progress. However, I have been determined to score a goal since before the start of the season, and being able to score in any way gives me confidence. I am approaching my second year as a professional with a strong sense of crisis. I want to continue to strive for goals and victories."

"Muto: 'The fact that I couldn't score in the decisive moment resulted in a draw. I feel strongly that I couldn't contribute to the team's victory. However, I felt satisfied with the overall performance. There were moments where my moves and dribbles were effective. If we could have capitalized on our lead in the second half... the game would have been easier, I believe. (Starting as a rookie. Were you nervous?) I was more nervous about three days ago. But I gradually settled down. Age doesn't matter in the professional world. I want to score a goal in the next Ajinomoto Stadium.'"

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"Although it ended in a draw, I think it was a good match that was worth watching for the fans and supporters. There are two things I think about now. The first is that I could see the players' growth. What we have been doing since the training camp has been conveyed and it was clearly reflected in today's match as a definite result. The second is that it is regrettable that we had so many scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes of the second half but couldn't score a goal. This is an area that we need to improve on going forward. It was a very important match today as it was the first match against a strong team like Kashiwa. I thought it was important to give the players confidence in order to build momentum from the start of the season."

[Summary of Kashiwa NELSINHO's press conference]
"I think it was a game with a very high level of skill from both teams. We competed while maintaining a high quality throughout the first and second halves. For us, there is a point of reflection that we didn't connect well during the start of the first half. However, the players gradually regained their pace and composure, and from there, they were able to create a high-quality game by forming an attacking shape. Tokyo was also a tough opponent who was tactically organized and had high quality. I think a draw is the correct result."